


Ice Queen

by Baroness_Blixen



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fictober, i hate that ice queen nickname, mulder and scully do too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-24 01:09:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16630016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baroness_Blixen/pseuds/Baroness_Blixen
Summary: Mulder sees how much the ice queen stereotype actually hurts Scully.





	Ice Queen

He’s left her alone for no more than five minutes. Just to get coffee. Yet when Mulder returns to the autopsy bay, Scully is no longer by herself. There are two guys Mulder has never seen. He hates them already. Because of the defensive way Scully is standing there. Arms crossed in front of her chest, she just looks so lost. As if she didn’t belong here - and she does. She looks small - and she isn’t.

“Let the ice queen get back to work,” one of them snickers. His back is to Mulder; he doubts he would have said it otherwise. But Mulder is more concerned with Scully. There’s no discernible change in her behavior, there is no reaction except… Mulder knows this look, recognizes it from having spent countless hours with her. Her lips are a thin line, twitch just the tiniest bit. She’s hurt. Those fucking assholes with their loose, arrogant mouths have hurt her. With two small words.

Ice queen.

They hang over them all, here in this cool autopsy bay. Mulder knew about the nickname, of course. He knew it before he got to know Scully. The two men walk past him, not looking guilty at all. The coffee cups in his hands are the only things stopping him from hitting the smirking idiot. And the fact that he knows Scully wouldn’t want him to interfere. He waits for the door to close and thinks he hears Scully breathe in deeply as soon as it does.

“Here’s your coffee.” Mulder hands her the cup.

“Thank you,” she answers, taking a sip. Even her voice sounds small.

“What did these clowns want?”

“A consult and… well. A consult.” She goes back to work, turning away from him.

“I didn’t know you let it get to you.”

“What?”

“That ice queen nonsense. I heard him. I didn’t know you cared. I didn’t know it hurts you.”

“It doesn’t,” she assures him.

“Scully, it’s okay,” he puts a hand on her back and she startles, moves away from his touch. “You know they’re wrong.” She doesn’t answer, keeps working. He has no idea what she’s doing, but he knows these sounds. Her work has its own rhythm. It’s like a song almost. His very own Scully melody.

“Hey?” She turns to him, curiosity winning out. Her eyes are so blue here among the steel. She brings color to this place. To everything she touches. Including him.

“Mulder, I need to work.”

“I know, but this is important too. These two guys? Everyone who has ever called you ice queen? They don’t know you.”

“Mulder…” Scully wants to turn away again, doesn’t want to hear it. She needs to hear it.

“They don’t know you. How passionate you are. How empathetic. How much and how deeply you love.”

“Mulder, please stop.” He shakes his head; he can’t stop.

“Who came up with it? Jack Willis, right? He was jealous, Scully. They all are. You’re not an ice queen. Not even close. You’re a fighter, a defender, a scientist, a realist, a friend, a lover, you’re-”

“I get it,” she interrupts him with a smile. So warm, so full of life. So full of love.

“I know you don’t want them to see you like this. Like I see you. Like you let me see you. But Scully, please don’t listen to them. You’re a queen, all right. But never an ice queen.”

They’re just looking at each other. If she let him, he’d say more. He’d thank her for trusting him with who she is under her suits, under her armor; her heart and soul. He knows she cries watching romantic movies. She needs ice cream when she is sad or angry or on her period. He knows all these things. Just like he knows she is the better shot, the more rational mind, his consciousness and savior, a fixer and a no-nonsense, badass woman. Who can kick anyone’s ass. Whether it’s his or one of these fucker’s.

“Thank you, Mulder. Now can I go back to work?” She says ending his thoughts and their conversation. Another thing she’s good at. If these guys only knew.

“Do I get to watch and comment?” His privilege as her partner and friend. As her Mulder.

“Fine,” she sighs, but grins.


End file.
